Sometimes we have to go back to the original documents to discover the roots of who we are and what we believe. It’s surprising now and then to find out how far we have strayed from the original definition and intentions. I went through a period when I could not read enough history about the founders of our country and realized how little I knew about the original ideas behind America and what it means to be called an American. In the same way, we need to go back periodically to the founders and original documents of our identity as Christians to discover what was in their minds as they…

Several weeks ago when I first asked Caitlyn Mortus if she could be with us I did not know we were going to be in the book of Romans and I had no idea we would be looking briefly at this particular passage this morning. I’ll not say any more about that but as soon as she begins to tell her story you will realize as I did that you just cannot plan things like this. Over the last several weeks we have looked at Paul’s developing case for both Gentiles and Jews being equal in God’s sight. They have different roles and responsibilities but are all included in our…

Last week we looked at Paul’s argument for God concluding all men under sin that he might include them all in grace. There is the law of the Gentiles written on their hearts and the Law of the Jews given by Moses. Both Jew and Gentile are accountable to their own laws but while there can be moral uprightness by obedience to each neither one can bring righteousness. Righteousness and a reconciled relationship with God comes from God alone – apart from both laws – and it comes only through faith. So, as he says in other places, there is no difference now between Gentile and Jew because all have…

1.  This is the defining event in the history of Israel. Through no fault of their own and not due to their sin they are enslaved for 430 years. A new king has no regard for Joseph and the contribution of the Hebrews to Egypt. He is afraid of them and their lack of loyalty to the State religion. It is also the experience that – along with the Babylonian exile – formed their character as a people. In the Exodus we also find some of the literary elements that are present even today. The first several chapters of the book are lasting examples of Jewish humor. It’s not vaudeville…

For most of us, we sketch out what we want to say, edit it, scratch out things, rearrange and reorder and only then do we come up with the final form. Others, like some claim for Shakespeare, write without edits or drafts and so quickly they can produce enormous amounts of material in their lifetime. I would like to know what it was for Paul. Did he draft and edit before sending? Did he practice what he wanted to say before reducing it to writing? Were these sermons and teachings he had given many, many times and it was only when he wrote these epistles that we see them almost…

Last week we left Paul as he described the chilling process of wrath that leads to death. It is not merely a laundry list of sins with each becoming worse than the last. It is a path with gateways that leads in a direction toward a particular destination. Just as there is a journey of sanctification there is a journey of destruction. And what is at the end of the passage that sums up the degree of their sin? What is the thing that completes the cycle? “They not only continue to do those very things but also approve of those who practice them.” What is detestable becomes normal. What…